SBA Kicks Off Chats for Women’s Month

The U.S. Small Business Administration has designated October as National Women’s Small Business Month, recognizing the contributions of women to small business in our economy. Be sure to attend a series of live online chats for women in small business, starting today. For more on the live chats and on the role women play in entrepreneurship, see the links below in Small Business Trends National Small Business Month roundup.

Tune In

Talk the talk. Drop by for the first live chat in the National Women’s Small Business Month series today at 3 p.m. ET. The discussion will cover starting and growing your business, with other topics including finding capital, contracting with the federal government, and business opportunities for young women, happening later this month. SBA.gov

Women on point. One study estimates women could create between 5 and 5.6 million new small business jobs by 2018, meaning that while entrepreneurs like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates continue to make headlines, women in small business could be key to spurring the economy. The Huffington Post

Lead On

Women in leadership. And there are even more great examples of women in strong leadership roles in business. Take Meg Whitman, Hewlett-Packard’s chief executive, who is spearheading a retooling of her company and repositioning it in tough economic times. There are leadership roles for women in businesses large and small. The New York Times

Need to know. There’s some other data you need to know about the importance of women in small business and entrepreneurship roles. Ashley Neal shares information and a link to American Express OPEN’s second annual State of Women Owned Businesses report. Small Biz Diamonds

Your Future

Stand up and be counted. For women to claim the role of leader in small business and entrepreneurship that they deserve to occupy, they must sometimes make the sacrifice of appearing at those industry events and taking a larger leadership role. For women, this sometimes conflicts with the responsibilities of family, but it is a sacrifice that must be made, says one blogger. Malla Haridat

Why women in business remain important. Of course, those interested in the progress of women and their growing role in small business and entrepreneurship must understand the issue impacts far more than just women. As Deborah Shane notes, quoting the President of the United States, it touches upon issues of family, economics, and competitiveness. Small Business Trends

A guide to moving forward. Finally, we conclude with some practical advice from a business and marketing coach on how women entrepreneurs can move their businesses forward. Don’t let your company get stuck in a rut. Check out these tips and learn to get your business on track with a plan to meet your goals and achieve your dreams. Annemarie Cross

3 Reactions

Thanks for including me and the article in this!It is so vitally important that women keep growing their equal stewardship of contributing to the ecomonmy, hiring new workers and realizing theit talent potential! It’s great for everyone!

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